1992: a great drama set against a tumultuous political year
1992 was the year in which the ‘Clean Hands’ corruption scandal upended the Italian political system, ending its existing party system and opening the way for the rise of Silvio Berlusconi.
The drama series 1992, made by Sky, is not about the political scandal itself, but rather it follows the lives of six characters – policemen, politician, industrialist, actress and ad man – closely linked to it.
Because it is not about the scandal itself, there is little ‘who did it?’ type tension as bribery is investigated. Rather, that’s more an incidental detail most of the time as the different characters have their lives play out. It also means that a lot of the references to real events and people are only fleeting and little explained. You may well find a combination of the pause button and the internet your friend. It also makes for a wonderfully convoluted legal disclaimer at the start about what in the show is real and what is not.
The ten episodes are well acted, with a great music soundtrack, even if the ploy of finishing episodes with a set of scenes set only to music wears a little thin.
Just the sort of drama which keeps you thinking ‘I’ll watch just one more episode…’
If you like this, you might also be interested in King’s Game.
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‘1992 and All That’ by Matthew Sturgis is also a good, humorous holiday read; 1992 being the year that the EU Single Market was completed. Yes, 25 years ago, and a lot of economic growth across the whole of Europe based on the four fundamental freedoms of movement: goods, people, capital and services (achieved in that order). Something to bear in mind for the #ExitBrexit campaign.
So 2017 is a good time to read about things not just from 25 yrs ago, but more poignantly a century ago. Here in Belgium, as in the UK, we are remembering Passendale.
Deborah Newton-Cook
Brussels & Europe local party